St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana Hurricane History
Since 1855, 51 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana — about one every 3.4 years. Of those, 13 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Francine (2024), which passed 22 miles away on 12 September 2024.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentFrancine (2024) — 22 mi away, 12 September 2024
- Strongest stormCamille (1969) — 150 kt (173 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordFern (1971) — 1.1 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)Katrina (2005) — 21.9 miles
- Passes within 25 miles29 of 51
- Peak monthSeptember — 21 storms (41% of all)
- Most active year1860 — 2 storms
- Most active decade1970s — 7 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi6
- Record span1855–2024
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 12 | 21 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1850s | 1860s | 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 5 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Francine (2024) | 12 Sep 2024 | 21.6 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Ida (2021) | 30 Aug 2021 | 46.0 mi | Cat 2 | 85 kt |
| Claudette (2021) | 19 Jun 2021 | 5.9 mi | TS / TD | 36 kt |
| Zeta (2020) | 29 Oct 2020 | 14.8 mi | Cat 2 | 85 kt |
| Cristobal (2020) | 8 Jun 2020 | 22.9 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Katrina (2005) | 29 Aug 2005 | 21.9 mi | Cat 3 | 97 kt |
| Cindy (2005) | 6 Jul 2005 | 30.6 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Bill (2003) | 1 Jul 2003 | 17.0 mi | TS / TD | 42 kt |
| Isidore (2002) | 26 Sep 2002 | 5.1 mi | TS / TD | 52 kt |
| Bertha (2002) | 5 Aug 2002 | 6.4 mi | TS / TD | 27 kt |
| Allison (2001) | 11 Jun 2001 | 4.2 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Hermine (1998) | 20 Sep 1998 | 28.8 mi | TS / TD | 27 kt |
| Florence (1988) | 10 Sep 1988 | 20.7 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Beryl (1988) | 8 Aug 1988 | 17.2 mi | TS / TD | 26 kt |
| Elena (1985) | 2 Sep 1985 | 22.7 mi | Cat 2 | 84 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1980) | 20 Jul 1980 | 22.0 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Bob (1979) | 11 Jul 1979 | 22.9 mi | TS / TD | 48 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1977) | 25 Oct 1977 | 47.0 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Babe (1977) | 6 Sep 1977 | 38.5 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1975) | 17 Oct 1975 | 28.5 mi | TD | — |
| Unnamed Storm (1975) | 30 Jul 1975 | 12.6 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Fern (1971) | 5 Sep 1971 | 1.1 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1971) | 9 Aug 1971 | 21.2 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Camille (1969) | 18 Aug 1969 | 27.6 mi | Cat 4 | 132 kt |
| Hilda (1964) | 4 Oct 1964 | 16.6 mi | TS / TD | 58 kt |
| Esther (1957) | 18 Sep 1957 | 44.6 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1956) | 13 Jun 1956 | 38.8 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1955) | 27 Aug 1955 | 19.1 mi | TS / TD | 44 kt |
| Brenda (1955) | 1 Aug 1955 | 9.3 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1949) | 4 Sep 1949 | 48.7 mi | TS / TD | 39 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1948) | 4 Sep 1948 | 11.8 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1947) | 19 Sep 1947 | 39.7 mi | Cat 2 | 88 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1945) | 6 Sep 1945 | 22.0 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1939) | 26 Sep 1939 | 34.7 mi | TS / TD | 43 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1936) | 23 Aug 1936 | 8.1 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1936) | 28 Jul 1936 | 13.9 mi | TS / TD | 33 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1926) | 21 Sep 1926 | 2.8 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1915) | 30 Sep 1915 | 11.5 mi | Cat 1 | 67 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1914) | 18 Sep 1914 | 19.3 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1912) | 13 Jun 1912 | 38.2 mi | TS / TD | 48 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1911) | 12 Aug 1911 | 35.0 mi | TS / TD | 39 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1905) | 10 Oct 1905 | 38.3 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1893) | 7 Sep 1893 | 12.4 mi | TS / TD | 58 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1892) | 12 Sep 1892 | 26.2 mi | TS / TD | 43 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1890) | 27 Aug 1890 | 42.0 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1887) | 19 Oct 1887 | 45.0 mi | TS / TD | 58 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1879) | 7 Oct 1879 | 15.4 mi | TS / TD | 43 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1869) | 5 Sep 1869 | 41.0 mi | TS / TD | 42 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1860) | 15 Sep 1860 | 38.3 mi | Cat 2 | 87 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1860) | 12 Aug 1860 | 40.8 mi | Cat 3 | 100 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1855) | 16 Sep 1855 | 36.0 mi | Cat 3 | 100 kt |
Post-tropical and extratropical passes
A further 5 systems passed within 50 miles after losing tropical characteristics. These are excluded from the counts above because they were no longer tropical cyclones at their closest approach — but several were highly damaging, so they are listed here.
| Storm | Status | Closest approach | Distance | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olga (2019) | Post-tropical | 26 Oct 2019 | 34.8 mi | 45 kt |
| Lee (2011) | Post-tropical | 5 Sep 2011 | 15.8 mi | 40 kt |
| Five (2010) | Remnant low | 17 Aug 2010 | 36.0 mi | 24 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1932) | Post-tropical | 16 Oct 1932 | 9.7 mi | 48 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1863) | Post-tropical | 1 Oct 1863 | 7.9 mi | 40 kt |
How St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana ranks #194 — more exposed than 91.2% of them. Within Louisiana it ranks #13 of 64, against a state average of 37.0 storms per parish.
Notable storms
- Cat 5 Camille (1969) passed 28 miles away on 18 August 1969 as a hurricane, reaching 150 kt (173 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 3 Katrina (2005) passed 22 miles away on 29 August 2005 as a hurricane, reaching 106 kt (122 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 3 Unnamed Storm (1855) passed 36 miles away on 16 September 1855 as a hurricane, reaching 105 kt (121 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 3 Elena (1985) passed 23 miles away on 2 September 1985 as a hurricane, reaching 100 kt (115 mph) while within 50 miles.
42 of the 51 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 3.4 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 51 storms spread over the 171 years from 1855 to 2025. 11 separate years saw more than one storm pass within 50 miles while stretches of a decade or more have passed with none. The longest recorded quiet stretch was 15 years, between 2005 and 2020. It has been 1 year since the last one; 28 of the 39 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana?
13 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana at hurricane strength since 1855. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 51.
When was the last hurricane in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana?
Ida (2021), on 30 August 2021, passing 46 miles away — 5 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Francine (2024) in 2024.
What was the strongest storm to affect St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana?
Camille (1969), which reached 150 kt (173 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 28 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 3.4 years — 51 storms over the 171 years from 1855 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.
Nearby parishes
St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana borders or sits close to 6 other parishes with a published storm record. Jefferson Parish, Louisiana has 64 on record.